The Gems Of Our Relationships
by sctwilightvampwolfgal
Summary: Every loving relationship from friends to family to romantic relationships are like gems: rubies, diamonds, pearls, emeralds. *Written for Miraculous Fluff Month.*
1. Prologue

Some days, she thinks that it's fate that draws two people together and other days, she thinks that it's stupid to value that too much. Sometimes even when she feels at her lowest or her poetry turns sad, she finds herself close to someone who truly cares and it's alright again.

Juleka's sure that she isn't the only one like this, with love wherever it comes from that makes her feel much, much stronger, and she feels grateful for what she does have: a big brother that cares for her even when they fight or bicker, a mother that while relaxed still loves her daughter so much, and friends like Rose that pause to make sure that she's fine, that she's truly happy.

She may not be fragile like glass, but when she feels like it, she's glad to have support by her sides. Juleka just hopes that her love even when fractured means the world to those in her life. With every passing year and every passing day, she realizes just how much they mean to her even if only just a little more than the day before.

Juleka isn't the only one that pauses to consider just how much they mean to her where families draw closer together whether small or large or when friends stay close even when it's hard to still love each other and when two people discover that their love means the world.

Every relationship is like a gem even when at times, they need polished to shine. Every moment with another lights the soul up in pure joy and every day means more when you pause to really embrace all that it meant to you.

Every relationship is different, diamonds, pearls, rubies, and then some, and yet sometimes it takes a moment or two to truly realize how each and everyone feels to you, how every day means something more to each and every relationship. Every choice adds up, and love fills in the cracks even when you might believe it can't.

With every moment together, we grow closer from one relationship to the next, from one person to the next, and love couldn't be stronger than even this moment might tell us. Every passing second is another chance for our love to grow whether it's from the eyes of someone like Juleka or whether it's someone else. Every relationship can be absolutely beautiful in the face of scars and issues.

They'll make it through, because they all have each other.


	2. Roommates

Juleka was so happy that she got to share a room with her big brother as her barely five year old self snuggled deep into the covers of a dark purple bed. She smiled over at the black sheeted bed at the other side of the room.

It was going to be so cool! Their parents had finally bought the houseboat of their dreams, and Juleka for now got to share a room with her older brother. She wondered though why he was getting a little less excited about their new home.

"Hey, Luka." She curled up on her covers, a bit too young to realize to lose some of her childlike joy that still clung to her, "We're sharing a room now!"

"Yeah, we are." He sighed as he carefully held a small box, unmarked, and placed it beneath his bed as if he were worried that his curious, younger sister wouldn't head over to it to try to see what was inside it.

"Is that your box?" She tried to think back to when he packed his stuff, and yet she couldn't remember that unmarked box of his. Their dad had them mark their boxes before moving, so that nothing 'broke' or 'took too long to find,' though their mom told them to not worry about it later as they could just unpack everything and get rid of the boxes later.

It surprised her that that wasn't her mother's box since she may have just overlooked not marking it, but Juleka was pretty sure that Luka wouldn't put their mom's stuff under his bed.

"Yeah," Luka shrugged, and though he was only seven, almost eight, it seemed like he did have something that he wanted to hide from her.

"Can I see it? I won't tell Mom." She guessed as she came closer to sit beside him on his bed, staring up at him with wide, dark eyes, "Or Dad."

"No, no." He smiled anyway, "It's nothing interesting, and you would tell them." Luka moved away from her and though she still wasn't sure what was in the box, she figured that she didn't have to know today.

* * *

Juleka couldn't help how wide her eyes had gotten; she'd get in so much trouble when her parents saw this. Her hair lay in a mixed red, black, and purple blend. At eight years old now, three years since they'd moved to the boat, she'd gotten curious about hair dye though it hadn't turned out so well.

"Juleka?" Luka entered the room before he shook his head, "Come here." He sat down on his bed as he motioned her over.

"O-Okay, don't tell Mom and Dad." Juleka tried to wipe her tears away; she just wanted to look pretty and cool like those girls in the rock bands that she and Luka watched did and those girls in those movies and books that she liked. They had pretty hair that was black with a few other colors from time to time, and she hadn't wanted to dye all of her hair.

"They'll see it." Luka sighed as he grabbed the dark purple hair dye and started coloring over the red and some more of her natural black hair. "I can make it look better though." She smiled and though her brother had just gotten permission to dye his hair, she still wondered if she could trust him to not mess her hair up too much.

"Okay." Juleka leaned back against her brother, "I like being your roommate still. You can fix my hair."

"That's not a good reason to like being my roommate." Luka told her as he helped out and then read her the instructions to the hair dye out loud.

Juleka nodded her head and watched as her brother let go of her hair, "Are your nails black?"

"Shoot," Luka grumbled, "I thought I washed them off."

"Why are they black? Did you paint them like a woman might?" Juleka turned to watch her brother carefully as if eager to hear the most exciting secrets in the world.

"I painted them." Luka muttered, "But you can't tell Mom or Dad yet, because I'm worried that they won't understand. It's like a rocker's nails, Juleka." He pulled out that old box and opened it up, and Juleka gasped as she saw different bottles of black nail polish: some even looked to be different shades of black too.

"Wow." Juleka murmured, "So you're a rock star like Mom?"

"Close enough. A friend of mine taught me how to paint my nails well, and she bought them for me a few years ago or so." He smiled, and Juleka couldn't help smiling back. Juleka really did like being her older brother's roommate.

"Can you paint mine? I don't know how to do it well at all." Juleka murmured, and she smiled as she sat on her brother's bed as he painted her nails, black. She couldn't wait to show her parents how beautiful her nails looked, almost to the point that she forgot how her parents might feel at seeing her hair dyed.

"I'll teach you how to later and how to dye your hair next time, so that you don't look weird or get into too much trouble by yourself, little sis." And she giggled at just hearing that, because even though he was teasing her, she knew that he'd actually help her out later.

She was so glad that they were roommates even though she knew that her mom told her that in about a year they'd have to get different rooms, because one day, Luka might want his own room, one day soon.

Juleka dreaded that day, but she was too happy now to worry about it even as she helped her older brother later wash all of the black nail polish off of his nails so that they didn't get in trouble later.


	3. Safe

"Stay safe, alright?" Seeing Cat Noire stand before him still left him a bit in shock though hearing those words didn't really help when he knew that Scarab will need to dive head first into helping her out soon.

"I-I'll try." Adrien stammered, and he was pretty sure that his heart exploded in his chest when she leaned down and kissed his cheek, burning his face in a wild blush in an instant.  
"Just stay safe." She stammered finally, "I expect to see you right here after Scarab and I defeat the Akuma, and let me know somehow that you're alright and not hurt at all." It's like her sudden confidence fled away from her in an instant.

"I will." Adrien really wished he didn't puff up his chest as if he were some ridiculously confident person since he still wasn't sure that if the sign that he was supposed to give her that he'd been fine was a kiss to her cheek. His belly flipped at just the thought, and he wanted to just pull her close and tell her to be safe even though he knew that she'd be rushing back into the fray to win that battle that he was supposed to join her for if he could make his heartrate slow or make his legs not feel like noodles.

It was silly as it was just a kiss on his cheek, but it made him so, so happy and so excited to see this Akuma defeated eventually as she waved and headed off.

* * *

If Scarab was unsually quick taking out the Akuma with a sort of bounce to his step and endless glee, no one said a word, though Cat Noire did stare at him as if he'd lost his mind. She still looked adorable doing so with her dark hair falling down around her in waves and that scarf tail that brushed against his side accidentally if she came to close to him.

Her slightly stunned joy made his heart race too though as if she was slightly caught up with just what she'd said and done around Adrien, unknowingly, Scarab's secret identity just before Scarab joined her.

In a way, they just left each other dazed and happy; Scarab wouldn't have it any other way though he was a little nervous over how to actually get back to that place and give her a returning kiss to let her know that he stayed safe and 'away' from the battle. It wasn't a lie if Adrien stayed away, but Scarab joined her later on, right?

She didn't say to stay away from the battle anyway, just to be there when she returned, and to stay safe. Whether it was implied or not didn't really matter, right?

* * *

Adrien had barely made it back to the same spot and just barely fixed hair so that it didn't look like he'd just ran to make it back here. Finally though, Cat Noire ended up right in front of him, and he just wanted to be near her.

"Hi, Cat Noire." He smiled, and he wondered if she remembered what she'd said before, but by the way that her face turned red, he was positive that she did.

"S-Sorry about earlier." Her face turned such a bright red around the dark of her mask, and Adrien didn't want to leave her stammering out of shot nerves at all as he stepped closer and kissed her cheek, having to lean upward a little bit since her boot's made her taller than him for now.

"I stayed safe." He was extra careful during the Akuma battle anyway if that helped, and though he'd been enthusiastic, he hadn't let himself get badly hurt, and he'd used the Miraculous Cure and fixed himself back up again if he had gotten any bruises or anything.

As far as the world was concerned, he'd stayed right here or at least didn't get hurt at all. Adrien had did his best to stay safe for Cat Noire.

"That you did." Her face got even darker somehow, "I'm glad."  
Adrien was too even if it felt like his heart was doing excited flips inside his chest; he was so happy that he'd made it back here before her and that she was happy that he was safe. Just the bright blush on her face made him feel stunned with the radiant joy that flowed through him and made him almost 'preen' under this kind of joy.

He'd stay as safe as he could for her any day, because she actually cared and because nothing beat this kind of joy and simple love. Adrien smiled up at her, and may be there will come a day where he can actually be safe without holding any of the truth away from her.


	4. Summer Love

She'd came to mark the days of joy by how bright it always seemed, how humid the air was that she breathed in, and catching stolen glimpses of the beach and seeing people crowd its shores. Those were the days that he'd come by, a notebook in hand that was usually discarded though was their secret notebook, and he'd talk to her.

It had started with a series of questions, ones that were fairly easy to answer most of the time, but had quickly devolved over the years into a mixture of things. Sometimes he'd bring something for her to try, or she'd pull him into a water game. This had happened often enough that Max had started wearing swim trunks and a shirt that he didn't mind getting completely drenched.

Rose loved a good game, but she was starting to think that she loved Max a bit more. Max, who had never been much of a swimmer, Max, who only was around during a short span of less than three months a year, and a boy as human as his glasses were fascinating.

They didn't have glasses under the sea, but then again, they'd never needed them. If your vision ever went bad, you learned to notice the little things in other ways, learned to truly see around you with sounds or by touch. Eyesight could be lost and yet not lose too much in the long run.

Rose loved that about the sea, but then again, she loved Max's glasses, trying them on, wondering why they made everything so blurry or messed up, wondering how he saw out of them. She'd laugh, but she was always careful to not splash his glasses when he played water games with her. She didn't want to leave his glasses make it hard for him to see.

Living with a tail didn't have to be so hard, but some days, she really wanted to go to the places that Max could go to, see the world around where he normally lived, and she wanted more than the occasional, curious kiss that made her wonder sometimes if she really should just ask for more.

Rose loved what she did have though, even if it wasn't much more than a summer love, even if there was only so much that they could do about it. One day, Max will grow up, and may be then she'd have a chance to see him more often, because being teenagers would fade, and may be he'd move closeby. She hoped so.

For now, Rose would try to enjoy every single, stolen moment of theirs and every bit of Summer love as she looked at the world around her, always waiting for the days when Max would be near, waiting for the days where it didn't matter that she was a mermaid or that he was a human. It would be okay, and they could have hope for more than just a summer romance one day.


	5. Can't Transform

The moments when Tikki or Plagg couldn't transform with their holders were a rare occurrence and even then, they usually hated it. Most of the time that meant that the Kwami, themself, had gotten sick, and yet sometimes that meant the holder had gotten sick.

Rarely, did they catch stolen moments together right on time when they were sick, and yet here they were, sharing a small spot beneath a blanket, huddling close as Rena Rouge and Carapace went to save the day while Adrien and Marinette both lay sick, huddled close, 'because it was easier to watch two different sick people that way.'

Alya and Nino had probably been scheming with another attempt of getting their best buds to be a couple, and while Adrien and Marinette were cute in a way, huddled close, too tired and too sick to notice just who they were cuddling in Nino and Adrien's hotel room on this field trip, Plagg and Tikki didn't have that oblivious air. They knew who they were cuddling, and they weren't afraid to cuddle close.

Over the years that they've had together, the two Kwami became the best of friends and something a bit more than friends. They didn't mind cuddling or huddling close, they didn't mind if they accidentally eskimo kissed each other or if they gave each other a light kiss, just to pretend that they were human and were allowed the luxury of not dealing with losing chosen over and over again before they had to move on since they could not easily be lost.

Immortality had its downfalls, but it also had its plus sides. It made them so very aware of just who the other was in a way that humans could rarely achieve, and now, it made them aware of just how to tuck their little bodies in and cuddle close for maximum comfort and hopefully to break these fevers. Master Fu wasn't on this trip to give them a quick fix, but they also knew that it wasn't a serious sickness.

They'd probably came down with whatever their chosens had gotten, and Tikki and Plagg, right now, were too warm and snuggly to coo over how 'precious' their chosen looked unlike the two that were supposed to be watching them and yet couldn't at the moment.

Tikki nestled her head right beneath Plagg's chin and pressed closer, half curling her feet over his lazily, and she relaxed. Every breath brought the scent of Plagg to her nose, and yet she didn't mind and while Camembert could often make her not very hungry, she had no hunger to lose, and she'd long since adjusted to his strange tastes until he found something else that Tikki likely wouldn't share the same interest in.

Either way, nothing else mattered in this moment as four minds were lost in a fever induced haze, not as two Kwamis found that the best, cuddliest warmth were each other, just glad to be next to each other after so long apart.


	6. Dedication

Apologies came in the most unpredictable ways as Marinette stared down at flowers that Penny Rolling had to have picked out and as she glanced at a card with a pair of what was probably sunglasses drawn on the corner. 'To my favorite little rocker, because you are awesome and to say sorry.'

It wasn't much, but as she sat down and cradled the flowers closer, she couldn't help the smile that bloomed on her face. They were new friends led on by mutual admiration, and yet it still felt so surreal. No matter how often she saw Jagged Stone and Penny Rolling, she still felt so, so stunned.

Marinette hadn't grown up close to celebrities, and though her hard work and dedication to that work had led her here, it still felt so unreal. A friendship blooming between a lycee aged girl and a rock star, so unbelievable, and yet that had quickly become her world.

She still wasn't sure how she'd managed to impress him, not once, but twice! And then, he became impressed by her family's bakery, and the rest was history though he really had found good reason to apologize, and though it had taken a couple days to send the flowers, she was still grateful.

Jagged Stone only grew more incredible and more cool the more that she came to know him, and while he made mistakes, plenty of them just like everyone else, he'd always been so supportive of her. He'd found her passion inspiring, and he'd encouraged her crush above all things.

When a rock star tells you that the boy of your dreams is not impossible to one day end up with, it's more encouragement than Marinette had ever known or expected. Sure, she knew Adrien, but somehow a rock star's support made it seem all that more attainable to end up with the model that she considered a very good friend and hopefully more one day.

Jagged Stone became an even more special friend of hers when she considered that he'd even dedicated a song off of her superhero persona; he'd found inspiration from Ladybug. It felt almost as unreal as when he'd been blown away by Marinette's designs for him.

Just to know that they both inspired each other, and that her favorite rock star really did like her work left her stunned. Even though, everything had seemed like more of a mess than she ever could have imagined the day that Penny was turned into the Troublemaker, and yet the apology left her so grateful and stunned.

Marinette still couldn't believe that this friendship was mutually inspiring for the both of them, and yet she couldn't imagine it any other way. Jagged Stone was more than just a role model of hers, he was a close friend of hers now too.

With every dedication and every chance to grow as friends no matter how much it still surprised Marinette, they grew closer, and while Jagged Stone wasn't her best friend like Alya was, his friendship still meant the world to her.


	7. Cooking Baking

From a young age, the kitchen became both a place to be wary of and excited to be in. It became a family place, somewhere to be among family, and enjoy good times. A family that baked together or cooked together seemed to stay together or as much as Marinette knew.

She'd learned to bake and to help her father out in the bakery, learned to cook dinner with her mother when it was getting late, and to naturally help clean up from a hard day in the bakery or rush upstairs to make sure that the dinner was going well.

Marinette had learned to work in the bakery as easily as if it were simply another fact of life, and so even now, she headed over to the bakery, easily washing her hands and slipping an apron on, easily joining her father as she focused on baking the bread very carefully and yet naturally. It felt like air sometimes to bake, as easy as it had become, and yet Marinette didn't mind in the least helping out.

It was where her parents had given her advice over the years, and it was where she'd first found an outlet for her pain or anger. Marinette knew just how to lose herself to the baking, to get lost in the action of doing so, and to enjoy doing all that she could. She loved kneading dough, and yet she also loved decorating the baked goods just as much.

Kneading dough was one of her first outlets as a child, and decorating was always a task that she could get lost in and thrill over. Baking or cooking with family meant the world to her, had become everything that she'd ever wanted to do, and she couldn't help how it made seeing moments where families didn't bake or cook together with love just as odd as could be.

Marinette loved these moments together though, wouldn't trade them for the world, as she pressed closer to her father as Tom and her talked about anything, keeping their hands busy, and their hearts warm with love.

Her dad sometimes seemed like her favorite person in the world, and her mother at other times. Marinette smiled as they talked of everything from whether they were going to play Ultimate Mecha Strike Three after the bakery closed for the day or if they should all watch a movie and who should pick the movie tonight if so.

"Maman should pick." Marinette told him, "We picked last time, and I'm sure that she'll want to pick next."

"But you should pick, Marinette. Your maman picked the time before that, and you hadn't really picked the last time." Tom told her with a smile, and Marinette just shook her head at him.

"No, I wanted to watch the same movies as you did last time, Papa. Don't you remember?" She asked.

"You did, but I picked the movies the last time." Tom answered her back just as easily.

"Papa!" Marinette grumbled as she stared up at her dad, still often surprised in little moments like these that he was just so much taller than her.

"Don't fight." Sabine peeked in, "We could always play Ultimate Mecha Strike Three later anyway. I'll give it a try too if you want."

"You hear everything." Tom grumbled affectionately, and yet Sabine just giggled before she went back to man the counter once more.

"Maman's good at that." Marinette murmured with a smile, and all really was okay in the Dupain-Cheng family. They wouldn't have it any other way.


	8. Recovery

Some things Ladybug could not simply fix with a Miraculous Cure, and it ate away at her completely. Just, seeing her boyfriend that she hadn't been dating for all that long limp around since he'd sprained his ankle as a civilian made her heart ache.

"Here, lean against me." Ladybug murmured, pulling him closer, "You don't have to go on joint patrols when you're hurt. I'd rather you stay home and rest anyway."

"I'm fine." He smiled up at her though it was slightly drained, "I wanted to see you anyway. I don't want to miss a chance to see M'lady."  
"Your lady wants you to stay safe." She muttered against his ear as she helped him walk across the rooftop, "What happened to you?"

"I hurt my ankle fencing. It shouldn't take long to heal." His smile looked a little brighter as if it had just taken time to adjust to it though she was sure that it was still hurting him. "Don't worry."

"I will worry." Ladybug told him, honestly, "I love you after all." It was not the way that she ever expected to confess her feelings that seemed to grow every day for her partner and recent boyfriend.

"You do?" His face lit up, and he moved closer to her by sheer joy, able to ignore his pain for a little while and focus on her, too caught up with her confession to pay much attention to his ankle that probably hurt a great deal, "I love you too."  
"Your tail's formed a heart." Ladybug murmured as she held him tightly against her, "Do you want to sit down to rest your ankle some?"

"The pain's not that bad." Though he still stumbled when she moved to help him sit down anyway as he pressed close to her side.

"I'd still rather you not be in pain." Honesty felt like it tumbled forth from her mouth way more than usual tonight, but she didn't mind as long as she didn't freak her partner out who likely wouldn't be bothered by anything she did after all of this time working together and becoming best friends and now, a couple.

"I'd just rather be by your side." Cat Noir leaned against her, and Ladybug wondered if this was how most couples felt or looked in this moment. Cat Noir's elation at her sudden, worried, and emotional confession left her so, so happy and just, sort of content. It felt like she didn't have to worry anymore even though that's what she'd been telling herself all this time.

His love for her had been obvious, sort of like hers had become more obvious over the years, and yet she still had worried that may be he didn't return her feelings.

"Me too, just try to take care of yourself, alright? I won't always be there to save you with my yoyo or heal you." Ladybug spoke up. One day, they might know each other's identities and all of this would become so much easier, but for now, she'd just try her best to be there for him and help him recover from his sprained ankle.

Love was supposed to be like that anyway from all that Marinette had heard or seen, and she really did love him way more than she'd ever known possible. Over the years, he'd fully snuck in and stole all of her heart, and now, it was just a matter of letting her love for him shine or show and reminding him of just how much she cared.

Ladybug knew that she'd work hard to support him and be there for him no matter how long his ankle was sprained and no matter what lied ahead of them in life. The road to recovery may not last forever or all that long in the grand scheme of things, but the road that led them closer to each other than ever before and more in love certainly would last for as long as they could feed it.

She'd be there every joint patrol, Akuma battle, or wherever else, when her partner was transformed, to support and take care of him. Ladybug just wanted him to recover as soon as possible.


	9. Late Nights

The life of an artist didn't always fit into a normal time slot, even if you'd like to think that sometimes it might. Emilie yawned as she wandered half asleep to her husband's makeshift office, and she found him there, hunched over an in progress design that she was positive would be great or ma be just amazing once he finished it.

"Sweetie, how's that design going?" She nearly slumped down behind him as she was tired and kind of missed late night cuddling; inspiration was coming in waves for her husband lately, and so she'd rarely gotten the chance to actually get a decent night's sleep. Emilie hated going to bed alone as the bed always felt kind of empty and cold.

"It's going well." It was such a soft answer that she almost didn't hear it as she leaned closer and got a sneak peek at a dress that she was pretty sure that she'd be modeling later which wasn't much of a stretch since she was the only model that he had at the moment. They really couldn't afford much at all, especially since Gabriel didn't want or 'need' any helping hands up in his opinion.

They did what they could to get by, "I'm glad. It looks really pretty."

"Thank you." He murmured.

"Do you want to go to bed soon?" Emilie wondered if he ever paused to consider sleep when he was in the moment like this.

"Is it really that late already?" He glanced over at her as if Emilie had the time on her to tell him it.

"I don't know. I slept for a little while, but I couldn't sleep without you." She didn't want to make him feel guilty at all, but she was kind of hoping that he didn't sit in that chair all night and probably end up sore from how uncomfortable it had to get after a while.

"I'll be in bed soon. I'm almost done." Gabriel murmured, and Emilie smiled even though it could be another fifteen minutes or so before he actually crawled to bed.

"I'll be right back." It didn't take long to find her way back to their bedroom and grab the blanket off of their bed as she hurried back to drape it over his shoulders in case he got cold or did fall asleep in the middle of a design. It happened sometimes though Emilie just really hoped that he'd be fine designing for a little longer.

"Emilie, you didn't have to. I'm just finishing up now." Gabriel murmured, "But thank you."

She smiled up at him, "Anything for you. I wish that I could do more though while you're hard at work."

"You do a lot. Without you, I don't think that I'd be here." Something in his deep blue eyes as he turned to her, design finished on the crowded desk, made her feel just so, so loved and appreciated. She wasn't sure that modeling and being his biggest support system really did all that much, but the idea that they were still in this together, that every day they'd keep growing closer, and that their business might one day do really well kept them going.

"R-Really?" Emilie hoped that her voice didn't squeak like a mouse's might, but the surprise and awe left in her voice spelled an almost hopeful disbelief out. She almost didn't want to believe it since it seemed so hard to imagine that her support had meant nearly as much as it had. Emilie still felt unbelievably honored that he considered her as such.

"I love you." Gabriel murmured, and that was answer enough without being a full answer, and so she stepped closer, stood up on her tiptoes, and stole a kiss. It was another late night since Gabriel had an idea that needed to be put down on paper before he forgot it again, and Emilie found herself just glad to be near her husband.

Late nights sometimes were really special.


	10. Friends To Lovers

"Do you like anyone, Nath?" Rose bit her lip as she looked out over the water, glimmering as it was, and Nathanael wasn't entirely sure why this was stuck on her mind.

Juleka and Luka were just ahead of them, goofing off, and sometimes bickering like siblings did. Nathanael paused to think about it, and how over the past year or so, how his feelings for Marinette were starting to diminish and how his feelings for Ladybug felt too hopeless to long for anymore.

"Not really." He admitted, "I think I'll be able to move on from my old ones soon." It felt kind of sad to admit out loud.

"Oh," Rose murmured, "I'm ready to not be hung up on someone distant anymore." She left to go join her best friend in the water and goof off with the two actually swimming in the ocean, and Nathanael couldn't help but watch his friend.

Juleka, Rose, and naturally, Luka at times were slipping into becoming some of his closest friends other than obviously Alix, his best friend for so long now. Marc was even becoming a much closer friend to Nathanael than he'd ever have expected though he wasn't entirely sure where this left him.

Did Rose say that about giving Luka a chance? Or did she want to give someone else a chance? Surely, it couldn't be him as he wasn't that lucky that one of the sweetest girls ever wanted to be with him.

She'd already learned over time of knowing him that he wasn't perfect and that he surely had his flaws and issues. Rose had almost dated a prince before; why would she want to date an artist that she was close friends with?

* * *

"Nath?" Rose sat down next to him, "How's my writing?" She leaned closer, and all that Nathanael could smell was the perfume she was wearing though he couldn't identify what it was: something kind of floral. Did she always wear perfume?

"It's good. Really good. Who do you like if you don't mind me asking?" Nathanael muttered, catching the words, 'Caught up on you,' 'My dear friend,' 'Veridian eyes that see me for who I am,' and 'Fiery hair that brings me to life,' on the page, and he wasn't exactly sure who knew her that well or sounded nearly as amazing as that.

"Just a friend, I guess." Rose murmured close to him before she finally got up, and the place that she left felt ten times colder.

"Rose? Does he like you back?" Nathanael asked to the best of his ability.

"Only time will tell, Nath." She smiled her brightest smile, and he found himself worrying that she was somehow setting herself up for heartbreak.

* * *

"If you could date someone that wasn't Marinette or Ladybug, who would it be?" Rose leaned against his side.

"I don't know." Nathanael murmured, "You? Juleka and Alix are close to me too, but I can't imagine dating Alix, she's more like a sister to me, and I think Juleka and I might not last." He shrugged, "You're one of my closest friends. We get along great, and you're really sweet."

"I'd pick you too." Rose murmured as she leaned closer against him, "You're so much more real than anyone."

"How?" Nathanael pulled her a little closer, half afraid that she'll pull away and leave him cold with just the bonfire in front of him.

"You know me, and you aren't afraid to be yourself most of the time, and you're really cute, you know? With your long-ish hair, and your bright eyes." Rose cut herself off, looking a little freaked out at what she'd said.

"Would you be okay if I asked you out?" Nathanael tried. Rose really was one of the sweetest girls that he'd ever met, and he'd started to think over the past few months or so that he kind of wanted to date her and see where it goes as he did get along with her better than almost anyone. Alix and his family being exceptions to that rule with Alix practically feeling more like a sister than a friend anyway.

"I-I'd like that." Rose murmured, "I just wouldn't want you to think that you should, because I want you to, or anything like that." Her eyes went wide, and Nathanael held her closer in a tight hug.

"Please go out with me, Rose, because you really are starting to make me fall more for you every single day." He muttered against her before nerves won out against him, and he'd have to just stop speaking altogether out of a sudden shy surge.

"I will." Rose murmured before pulling away just enough to kiss him on the cheek and send a bright smile his way. They'd be okay if she always looked so happy to just be there for him, and if he always looked so happy to be there for her as well.


	11. I Dare You

"I dare you to eat dirt." She kicked her feet out; six years old and eager to somehow burn one of her friends in a dare.

Kim shot her a glare and rolled his eyes, "What are you five? We both probably ate dirt when we were very, very little." He sucked it up though, puffing out his chest, took a fistful and ate it.

While her first thought was 'gross,' Alix found herself curious as to what she could dare him to do and whether he'd actually follow through with it.

"Alix, I dare you to pretend to be interested in history for a few days." Kim stated, and Alix wondered if he was evil though she didn't mind wandering the museum sometimes, the artwork really was pretty, though she tended to get rather lost in how it seemed too perfect. Her artwork wasn't straight lines or realistic nor was it impressionistic.

She hadn't yet decided if that made her an artist or just someone trying to be. "Fine. Why couldn't it just be for today." Alix bit back a whine, "Besides that's a boring dare, Kim."

"And yours was better?" He challenged, and Alix rolled her eyes. May be she'd get better in time, because she was definitely curious what those three little words caused.

* * *

"I dare you to ask out Sabrina." Alix spoke up as she stared back over at Kim, wondering if he would, just to see if he would.

"Why Sabrina? And not Chloe or someone else?" He asked her as he sat crosslegged down on the floor of Alix's room.

"Well, Sabrina's hard to talk to with Chloe always there, and she'd probably be a lot nicer to you, and you are looking at Chloe way weirder than you used to now." Alix sat up on her bed, remembering how despite not saying anything about it that she was positive that Kim had a crush on Chloe.

"How do I look at Chloe?" Instead of looking bored like he had for a while, Alix could tell that her thirteen year old friend looked at least a little angered by it rather than just embarrassed.

"Like she's actually really pretty." Alix murmured, and really, she didn't understand makeup or why girls wanted to wear it so much lately or how come Kim didn't like someone a little more like him like Alix or Ondine. He was actually good friends with them both, and while Alix wasn't sure if she ever wanted to hear him ask her out, it might be interested to hear if he chose to ask Ondine out instead.

"She is pretty." Grumbled Kim quietly, but Alix just sat up straighter.

"A dare is a dare, Kim." It was like flipping a switch as even though Kim wasn't happy, he wasn't willing to back down either. They both weren't really the backing down types anyway.

* * *

"I dare you..." Rose looked lost as if she'd never actually had to dare anyone to do anything, and Alix was only slightly worried as she glanced over towards Kim. It was probably something stupid like eat dirt or a silly dance though sometimes Alix just figured that Rose might have different, weirder ideas than that. "To kiss Alix." She ended with, and Alix felt her belly drop to her toes.

It was one thing to kind of want to kiss Kim, but it was another thing entirely to realize that Kim was dared to kiss her. Just the idea sent sparks of something or other that felt like fireworks down in her belly, but Alix wasn't sure if that was a good sign or the sign that may be dares really had gone too far.

"Alix?" Kim murmured as he scooted closer, and as the game of 'Truth Or Dare' faded to background noise and still people trying to be as quiet as they could be. Alix figured that it was stupid that her hands wanted to shake, but she sent a brave smile Kim's way and tried to stop the slight shaking by laying her hands down on her lap, flat.

"A dare's a dare, Kim." The words weren't even supposed to tumble out of her mouth, but when he leaned closer, she leaned up against him. Being sixteen was a lot less confusing than being thirteen, but being sixteen seemed to come with extra feelings that Alix was pretty positive that she hadn't wanted to begin with.

It was awkward as Kim leaned down too fast, and their teeth clashed, but for the sake of the dare or whatever else, they kept going. Kim reached out to cradle her head, but Alix was pretty sure that his hand got trapped in her hair as she clung to his arms, just a little too hard, desperately trying to keep from shaking.

Alix wasn't allowed to be weak near Kim anyway; it just wasn't something that she did even though she'd comforted him during his weakest moments before. He felt so warm, and when his tongue brushed against her lips, half curious about trying for a little more, her belly trembled with hidden away butterflies, and she pulled back.

'No need to put on a show, besides it was just a dare.' Alix took a deep, steadying breath and tried to ignore the bright look that Rose sent her way. It was easier to think that her own feelings weren't see through and that Rose couldn't have pieced together that Alix had a crush on one of her oldest friends.

She'd known Kim since they were both six and decided to give each other dares, and yet she'd known him from even before then. Hadn't she known him too long to think that he was attractive or want to kiss him? Apparently not, as Alix was kind of curious to see one day if they ever kissed again if it actually ended up less awkward.

* * *

"Kim, I dare you to kiss me." Alix wasn't sure how the words managed to slip so easily past her throat, but she felt like she could say them and that was liberating in its own way. A year had passed since their first kiss, and this time, she didn't have to wonder if it would be their last.

They had the added luxury of being a couple, and as Kim stopped on the beach to pull her close, not letting his hand get trapped, and yet still gently cradling her head, Alix knew that no matter how the kiss felt or tasted as long as it was from Kim, she'd be happy.

He kissed her like there was a side of him that she'd never known, a quietly, almost romantic side, and Alix had found over time or may be just from that first kiss that she didn't mind at all if he truly did have that kind of side to him or if he always kissed her like this.

It felt real and sweet, and Alix knew that he really did care about her, perhaps even loved her, from that kiss alone, a kiss that Alix wished could last forever.

At long last, Alix had found her favorite dare of all for Kim.


	12. First Kiss

What really would you call a first kiss? If you considered the loving pecks that her parents had given her throughout the years, she had a handful. Forehead kisses and cheek kisses and over the top affectionate kisses when they were both laughing so hard that it basically made no difference.

Or you could count the kisses that she gave her parents, usually just kisses on the cheeks, when she was feeling particularly affectionate, an 'I love you' without the need to say it out loud but usually followed by one or something similar.

You could even count every kiss that she'd received since becoming Ladybug, every single hand kiss that Cat Noir gave her, especially the first time that he bent down, holding her hand in his, and gave it a gentle kiss. Ladybug would have to count the kisses that she gave too.

That day against Glaciator as she leaned forward and kissed Cat Noir's cheek or even the kiss that he gave her in return that evening or even when she bent down over a coffin, knowing that Adrien was hiding in it as she'd just had him get into it, and when she kissed the pharoah's lips right where his would be a little farther underneath it, heart nervous, but wishing that she could just touch him.

You'd have to count the kiss on the lips that she'd used on her partner to save him from Dark Cupid's spell even though it felt far more platonic than Ladybug wanted to consider her first kiss to really be. It meant something from the way that her heart slowed in nerves during the kiss.

Marinette would count the first forehead kiss that Adrien gave her as a first kiss of hers too, when she was in his arms and dancing slowly, and he felt the need to affectionately keep her close with a motion so sweet and tender. She still wasn't sure that that wasn't a dream or if she'd just imagined that moment.

This though seemed so much different than a hundred, million 'first' kisses as something real was hung up in the air here as Adrien leaned down and kissed her earnestly, as her heart raced, and her mind couldn't even think to wander away from this moment. It was soft, slow, and sweet. Marinette was positive that it was the most tender thing that Adrien could have ever done, like finally getting that kiss that she sort of really wanted that day when they were just playing a part for school, and it was way better than she imagined.

She almost kind of knew how he might move based off of true love's kiss with Cat Noir, and so she'd kind of expected something like this as she tried to pour her whole heart into the kiss too as Adrien cradled her head close and as she felt her heart race and jump in time with his. Each second was like perfected bliss even though neither really knew what to do other than move their lips together as she pressed closer.

Each second felt so tempting and sweet as she leaned against him, pressing steadily against him, moving gently with the pace that he set. She was too scared to even think of deepening it when it felt so nice to move her lips along with his and just focus on every soft, static energy between them flourish. It was everything to her even though she'd only had it once when he pulled away just a second later, a second too soon, even as she caught her breath and just stared at him.

'I love you,' was on the tip of her tongue, but it seemed stupid to say it after just one kiss since she'd heard how new and almost 'scary' that could be for new relationships and yet she just knew that with a few more kisses she might not be able to hold the words back. Marinette smiled as she gazed into her new boyfriend's eyes, and she just hoped that he'd give her many more kisses to try and figure out what they're doing together and a million more chances to be near him, to really discover what 'I love you,' meant, because every second together should teach her more of what it meant.

Marinette wanted all of her first kisses to be with him now even though she knew that she'd only ever had that one if what most people said was true. She didn't want a first kiss with anyone else ever, just Adrien. She'd make an exception for her future kids that would hopefully be his too one day since they really would need kisses to help 'boo-boos' heal and to have goodnight kisses before bed.

She'd gladly shower them in kisses, love, and affection as long as they'd let her or as long as she can catch another moment or two to give them kisses. Either way, she was positive that she wasn't ready for that yet as she and Adrien were just starting to date and not married.

Marinette would have years to give as many 'first' kisses to Adrien as she could. She'd never given him a forehead kiss yet or a kiss on the cheek or anything liket hat yet, and so she still had some 'first' kisses left to give him and hopefully all the years that she could to give him them.


	13. It Was An Accident!

There was something soft, almost gentle about the look in his green eyes, and it was kind of easy to forget that they were cat eyes and not normal ones. Like there was a certain point where all of his emotion poured through, and that gentle look distantly reminded her of Adrien without it being from him.

Marinette didn't even need to think about soft, green eyes from a gentle, more reserved boy when all that she could see was that same look on another's face, small smile peeking up, and with just an innocent, genuine expression on his face. She was done.

Her mind didn't let her even so much as realize that this look that crumbled her, that Adrien usually wore, was being worn by her partner. Nothing prepared her for the fact that her mind distantly was drawing similarities and her heartrate was picking up several times past what was normal in Cat Noir's presence, possibly even faster than it had as Ladybug.

She knew that this was her partner, but she hadn't known that he could look at her like that. It hadn't been anything even remotely romantic that inspired it, just the kind of casual, gentle friendship of theirs and a moment of quiet comradery.

Marinette would have just been putty in his hands except for the fact that her Ladybug confidence kicked on, flipped a switch, and she reacted almost as if she were transformed and this was her partner except for the extra romantic move.

She stood up on tiptoes and pressed a gentle kiss against his lips as if saying, 'Hey, I care too,' and yet just the touch sparked a whole reserve of hidden feelings inside of her for him. Marinette felt vague recollections of how she'd often found her partner attractive before, and moments when she really did want to be more with him.

It was like that dam just burst, and she suddenly couldn't have enough. That first, gentle, caring kiss became a mess of tangling emotions and heartstrings that suddenly weren't sure where to align.

Marinette sighed softly, and in a way, it was a lot like how she'd imagine kissing Adrien or how she imagined her first actual kiss being, minus the fact that it was with someone else. Cat Noir held her gently, delicately, as if he were afraid that if he moved too much she'd crumble or fall apart from him and never want to go back.

He left her somewhat in control which was nothing that she'd have expected from either Cat Noir or Adrien. She'd somehow always expected that the guy would lead, and she'd follow as far as kissing went, but this was its own thrill.

Every gentle press of his lips on hers reminded her of the way that she'd always wanted to be kissed, the way that she'd wanted Adrien to kiss her for so long, and yet Marinette trembled as she pressed closer. For a moment, two boys blended into one.

She could feel his claws against her side, holding her close and still so gently, and his mask pressed against her face and yet she wasn't entirely sure who she was kissing as her mind took off on her as if calling up a sudden vacation and as her body warmed in the gentle embrace.

All that she could focus on was this feeling of being kissed, of being held like she mattered so much more than it was easy to think of even though she knew that her partner cared for Ladybug, would die for her. Marinette never felt like he knew her enough as a civilian to want to hold her so, so closely and keep her gently there for as long as their kisses lasted.

When he pulled away from her gently, arms still around her waist, she realized belatedly that she'd just surprised her partner with a kiss on the lips: no questions asked, no forewarning, nothing but an impulse had led her on. They weren't dating, and they'd only been friends so that probably didn't go well for her.

"I-I'm sorry. It was an accident!" Marinette squeaked, too flustered to raise her voice all that high, "I'm so, so sorry."

Pain flickered in green eyes for a second, "Did you not like it?" Something spelled dejected kitty in the look on his face, and Marinette's heart broke three places over.

"N-No, no. Just, if you saw the look in your eyes, you'd know why I did it. All gentle and sweet and caring, and what else was I supposed to do? Sorry, sorry." She kept on squeaking as her words started to rush together towards the end and as her nerves fully caught up with her and wouldn't let her out of their sights.

"I looked at you differently?" He now looked too confused and kind of flattered to even consider being hurt anymore over her constant apologies.

"W-Well, your eyes got all soft and then I-I guess, you looked at me the way that I've always wanted my crush to, and sort of like how he looks at me anyway, and it was so sweet, and all I could think about were your eyes and how pretty they are, and I-I, I just couldn't help myself even though I shouldn't of, and..." Marinette trailed off as her face became a much darker, more vivid red the longer that she went on.

"Your crush?" Cat Noir stammered for a second, probably too long, "You think my eyes are pretty?" He wasn't sure whether to be flattered that she found his eyes attractive in any way or horrified that his eyes weren't 'attractive' or 'handsome' or 'captivating,' or something of that sort and were 'pretty' like you'd call a really cute girl.

"Y-Yeah," Marinette stammered before her mind caught up with her mouth, "I-I mean no. They're green which is a very pretty color, especially that shade of it, but no, it's just the color and that color kind of look's like Adrien's eyes which are really pretty and easy to get lost in and you kind of kissed me like a dream, and..." She trailed off, and her face said it all in big, bold letters, 'Oops.'

"Adrien? Th-The model?" Cat Noir stammered for another second. He wondered if it was okay to get overly confident since he'd just been told that he'd kissed her like a dream which had to be a pretty great compliment for his first ever kiss.

"Y-Yeah. It's not like I have a crush on him or anything, but I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't say anything." She waved it away as best as she could as Cat Noir gave her a pointed look.

"Okay, it's fine to have a crush on someone that you're friends with." Cat Noir tried for as he tried not to just savor how big of a boost this felt like to his own confidence. One of the prettiest and kindest girls that he knew just kissed him out of nowhere and basically admitted to having a crush on his civilian self without admitting it.

"B-But he doesn't know, and so many other girls already like him alot, and he'd probably be happier with someone else, and really, I shouldn't have kissed you like that. I'm sorry." Marinette muttered, looking absolutely devastated by the news that she believed wholeheartedly that Adrien couldn't like her, that there were somehow better fish in the sea than her.

"Look, Marinette. I'm not friends with just anyone, and I don't normally just show up at random civilians' houses. You're one of my best friends, and you're so beautiful and kindhearted and selfless, and everyday there's another reason for me to be happy to know you. Any boy would be lucky to just talk to you and unbelievably lucky to date you. Don't work yourself up over something that isn't even true. If he even knew you could kiss like that, he'd never want to so much as look at another girl and want to kiss her again." It was technically true, and he did know now. He wasn't sure if he'd completely moved on from Ladybug then or even had a chance to, but Marinette was probably one of his favorite people ever.

He'd love dating her honestly, getting a chance to truly go out with someone who could banter back and forth with him and yet was so selfless and sweet too, someone who could kiss him into all that he saw were stars and yet could leave his head spinning with a look if she really wanted to. Marinette would be one amazing girlfriend, and in her own way, Cat Noir decided that he'd rather date her than deal with all of the drama and the onesided feelings of dating Ladybug. With Marinette, he had a future, something that Ladybug couldn't even promise him right now.

"O-Oh." Marinette's face stayed a light tulip pink, and Cat Noir wondered if she'd even consider letting him steal a kiss from her and light that amazing fire up again that flamed beyond what he'd ever expected.


	14. Finally Alone

There was only so much energy that she could expend pretending to be nice to people and so many hours that Chloe Bourgeois could spend in large amounts of company as she finally shed her overcoat and almost wanted to flop down onto her bed and ignore the world.

"Am I still spending the night?" Sabrina asked softly as she sat down on the floor next to the bed.

"Yeah, you are unless you have somewhere to be." Chloe wasn't entirely sure if her sarcasm was coming back out or if she'd actually managed to form somewhat of a habit of kindness within herself with all of the hard work that she'd put into this evening. Being the mayor's daughter was so much easier when she didn't have to be kind to everyone, but her friendship with Adrien was far too precious to lose.

"I'm fine here. You just look tired." Sabrina murmured, and at moments like these, Chloe actually felt like she'd found a friend in Sabrina when both of their guards were down, and she could actually appreciate it even when she tried to bundle those feelings up in a corner and ignore them for the better.

"I am tired." Chloe grumbled, "I don't just look it. How can you be nice to some many people and not want to just ignore them all moments later?"

"At least we're not still out there with everybody." Sabrina wasn't really sure that she had an answer to that question anyway, "Do you want me to paint your nails or anything?" It was nice to be away from everyone else and get to see the rare glimpses of the Chloe underneath the waves and layers of bitterness, the Chloe that Adrien had likely become friends with first.

"That would be nice." Chloe sat up a little straighter, and Sabrina quietly worried that crowds took their toll on her best friend, as if Chloe always needed to be someone else around them and work so hard to either please them or scare them far away. Sabrina was just glad for the quiet moments far away from the crowds when they were both alone and didn't have the energy for acts that they couldn't keep up.

Sabrina grabbed the nail polish right where Chloe always kept it and came back, "How about yello-, gold and black? Or something else?" Sabrina asked, realizing halfway through that it wasn't just yellow in Chloe's eyes, it had to be gold. She didn't need to be reminded yet again, so she corrected herself as soon as she remembered and knew that Chloe was too exhausted to correct every little thing right now.

"Gold and black is fine." Chloe sighed as she stretched her hand out for Sabrina to hold up with one hand and paint her fingernails with the other. "Can you believe Adrien though? He wants me to be nice to everyone."

"I think he likes you when you're like this, not worn out, just you." Sabrina murmured quietly, half hoping that her best friend wouldn't hear her.

"He likes the boring Chloe that isn't always in control? How could he?" She sniffed, and Sabrina saw rare insecurity reflected in her best friend's eyes that she was used to dealing with as herself.

"He likes the Chloe that isn't afraid to be herself, when she has no one to impress." Sabrina murmured, "Sorry."  
"Did you mess up a stripe?" Chloe's voice hit a bit of a higher octave than either of them had expected though Sabrina was quick to reassure her.

"The stripes are fine." Sabrina spoke up, "No smudges or anything." She wasn't sure if mentioning why she had apologized was too much for an already hectic night or if it would be a waste of words and so she didn't say a word.

"That's..." Chloe trailed off slowly as if looking for the right word, "good."

"I'm glad." Sabrina smiled, "Want to watch a movie later? You have the best movie collection in the world." Sometimes she might exaggerate just a little bit, but Chloe, despite all of her flaws, really did need some kind of support in life that wasn't so easily swayed by her words or that tried to win her over with new stuff.  
Sabrina knew that sometimes she was a pushover or may be more often, and even so, she tended to be pretty easily won over by Chloe's 'gifts' to her, but she really didn't want to stop supporting her best friend.

In a way, she'd just work harder at being there for her, because Chloe needed a good friend to talk to, to paint her nails, and to listen to her sometimes harsh words. Sabrina would try to be that despite everything that could hold her or anyone else back from that position.

She loved her as a sister and though she'd tried leaving her behind twice, Sabrina believed in second or third chances. Sabrina would do her best to not try to leave Chloe like that again, and she really did care for her, especially when all of Chloe's rough edges were mostly smoothed when they were alone or when she'd been worn out from acting nice for ages and finally wanted to relax or sleep.

When they were alone, Sabrina was often reminded of just how much Chloe really did care deep down, no matter how buried it can be at times. Chloe cared for her best female friend, and Sabrina cared for her in return too and would learn even better to listen to the signs of her friend that weren't always heard by others.


	15. Take My Hand

Rose was lost! She couldn't find her mommy or daddy anywhere, and she felt so, so alone.

"Hi." A voice spoke up, softly, and yet it was just a teeny tiny bit deeper than her own voice, and so she looked up and saw a girl about her age with longer, darker hair. "Is everything okay?"

Rose didn't know what to say. 'Don't talk to strangers,' always seemed to mean the adults, and this girl couldn't be any older than she was. "H-Hello."  
"Are you lost?" The girl tried again, and Rose wondered if she was really so kind to put up with Rose's unsurety and general panic.

"Y-Yeah, I can't find my mommy or my daddy. I'm lost." Rose pouted, fighting back anymore tears, and just watched the girl, who looked like may be she came from a family looking on at them, a boy just a bit older than the girl, and two parents.

"I'll help you then." The black haired girl admitted, "Being lost sucks." She sighed as she shifted on her feet, "I'm Juleka. Do you remember where you last saw your mommy and daddy?"  
"N-No. I-I'm Rose." She fought off sobs that felt completely natural in the span of only a few moments, "May be, by the animals. I was looking at all the fluffy looking bunny rabbits and the bright feathers of the chickens when... I knew that I was with them."

"Okay, Rose. Let's check the barns then. Did you see the goats yet?" Juleka asked as she offered her hand, "Take my hand, so that you don't get anymore lost, alright?"

"O-Oh, sure." She muttered as she reached out and grabbed Juleka's hand in her smaller one, "I haven't seen the goats yet or the cows. They have cows, right? And puppies and kittens and sheep too?"

"I think so." Juleka answered, "We'll try the barns, and may be get a chance to look at some cool animals while we look for your mom and dad."

Rose stayed close as Juleka led her through all of the barns, and neither of them spotted her parents.

"Juleka?" The girl's mother called, "Try the grandstand. Page her parents. Do you know where it's at?"

"Oh, that's a great idea. Have you been near the grandstand yet, Rose?" Juleka asked, and Rose remembered that she was lost and while she'd been looking for her parents, it had become almost fun to walk through the barns at the fair with her new friend or at least Rose will call her a friend.

"N-No. I don't think so." Rose frowned as she tried to think of what that looked like as Juleka carefully led the way past the barns and towards the center of the fair.

"It's a bit of a long walk, but we'll be fine." Juleka reasoned as she seemed more capable of doing right now than Rose did as she worried her lip between her teeth and felt that same urge to cry again.

"We're almost there. May be your parents will buy you a milkshake later? The milk is so fresh here." Juleka murmured as she finally slid just right through the crowds that the grandstand came into view.

"Y-Yeah, they might." Rose smiled up at her, "What's your favorite flavor of milkshake?"

"Chocolate." Juleka smiled back at her, "Chocolate's the best kind of milkshake."

"I like strawberry." Rose murmured, "It's pink, and it's so fruity." Her smile grew wider at the thought.

"I hope that they have strawberry then." She answered.

"I want to give chocolate another try since you like it, and you're my newest friend." Rose declared, confidently, as she kept up with Juleka as she led the way closer to where Rose could page her parents.

"Then I'll try strawberry if you try chocolate." Juleka spoke up, and she couldn't help how soft her voice went. It was almost as if she'd become more than a guide, that she'd become a friend too, and it left her belly and chest warm.

"Okay." Rose announced as Juleka held open the door for her, and then her newest friend squealed, "Mommy! Daddy!" Her parents looked like they'd just been about to page her when Rose called for them and so her father waved the pager off.

"Rose, you're okay." Her mother sighed in relief, and Rose glanced up at Juleka. She took the hint and dropped Rose's hand and watched as daughter and parents were united.

"Thank you, young lady, for bringing our daughter back to us." The father spoke up, "You're not lost, are you?"

"No, I'm fine. Mom, Dad, and my brother were right behind us, so that I didn't get lost." She smiled up at him, "I'm just glad that she's made it back to you."  
"Mommy, Daddy!" Rose spoke up, "Can Juleka spend the rest of the fair with us?"

"It depends when her mommy and daddy say." Rose's mother spoke up, gently, and Juleka smiled as she held up a finger and vanished outside to get permission. It sounded like too much fun to pass up, and she knew that her parents would stay close the whole time and look out for her.

Neither of the girls nor their parents realized quite what a friendship this one would become or that the two girls would end up starting up school in the same class that school year. A whole lifetime of a friendship was just starting, and neither girl could be happier about it.


	16. Bubblebath

There was nothing better than ending a hard day at work with a bubble bath. As Rose sunk into the water, she tried to let her mind wander, to take a moment to just be by herself and leave her worries and concerns far, far away.

Rose paused to wonder about why some of the people that came to the flower shop wanted the flowers that they did regardless of whether they knew the meanings as few seemed to. It just seemed fitting that that woman that stopped mid-run probably wanted to spontaneously buy flowers for her boyfriend.

Alya probably stopped by just a half an hour after that, because she and Nino fought the night before, and she wanted to buy apology flowers since she hadn't seen him all day yet and felt guilty. She'd done so before, and Rose was glad that those flowers always brought with them warmth and smiles.

Adrien had stopped by again without buying anything, 'just looking,' or rather he'd chickened out yet again on asking out that dream girl of his that he was still trying desperately to impress. Rose knew that he'd be fine once he worked up the nerve to ask her out and brought the flowers to her.

Flowers could say so much since they carried their own meanings like a love letter did, and Rose never stopped wanting to learn all that she could about them. When Adrien came by, she told him what she knew to keep his mind off of things and help him calm down. It never lasted more than fifteen minutes to a half hour.

He always had places to be and better ways of avoiding asking out that 'secret' girl of his. Rose just hoped that he'd somehow find the words to just ask her out.

Juleka had stopped by in a frenzy even though she still often helped out at the flower shop, mainly helping balance the bills and everything for it, so that it still ran. She'd ran a tired hand through her hair and told Rose that she didn't have long to talk and left less than five minutes later with an assortment of different flowers with many different meanings.

She knew almost all of the meanings that Rose did, so it really was a wonder. Rose figured that may be she was bringing flowers for Nathanael to sketch or paint or something as she'd done that before or may be she had a really complicated feeling that she wanted to tell her boyfriend or fiancee rather since he had proposed pretty recently.

Rose tapped on pink painted toe against the bathtub and sighed as she pondered over all of this and so many other customers: some stayed to chat, others left in a hurry like it was an emergency, and others managed to find the perfect time in between all of that.

She still wasn't entirely sure over all of the reasons that people bought flowers as only a few had ever actually told her what they were for, and some of those people were simply because she kept asking. Rose was ever curious over just where her flowers went and whether they brought relieved and apologetic tears or bright happy smiles or surprised joy or embarrassed content and excitement.

There was only so much that she was ever told about them, but she didn't mind too much as she sunk back in and finally stared at the pretty pink bubbles that were around her as if she were seeing them for the first time, as if she'd never had a bubble bath before.

Honestly, Rose loved long evenings when she finally had a chance to relax and consider wherever her thoughts ran from deep meaning to curiosity to just relaxing into the tub without much that she needed to even consider. Bubble baths were a wonderful way to end the day when business ran long at the flower shop and when she felt as worn out as could be and needed a different break from it all.

She couldn't always run to the garden to calm down, and she smiled at the thought. Rose would make sure to wake up early to tend to her flowers and let the day begin however it will.


	17. I'm Here

Really, not all days were numbered by a large level of happiness and good things, and on those days, you really did need to reach out for what you could get of that happiness, counting every single blessing, every last one of them. Don't forget one, because they'll bring a smile to your face when nothing else ever seems to, and they make you happy for any number of seconds or minutes.

"So, Adrien, you rock at Ultimate Mecha Strike Three, and I don't, but want to play it anyway?" Alya carried a bag of what could be a number of yummy goodies or fun games to play or music or just anything.

"Sure, if you don't mind losing." Alya wasn't nearly as good at the game as Adrien was, but he was just glad that she came by here everyday that she could. Nino shown up very often too, and Marinette shown up at least three times a week whenever she could find the time or work up the confidence or anything like that.

He still wasn't sure that he deserved this kind of love and support or even unfailing trust, "I don't mind losing, really." Alya grinned and set the bag down on the table.

"What's in it?" Adrien reached towards the bag as Alya had a tendency of bring delicious sweets or fun games or just random stuff to do lately whenever she visited.

"Don't peek." Alya swatted his hand away, "You'll find out later."

* * *

After about forty five minutes of mostly beating Alya at Ultimate Mecha Strike Three as she appeared to have been practicing or at least getting better when she usually lost to him, she finally gave him the option of figuring out what was in the bag.

"Since you aren't on your model diet anymore..." She teased as she carefully removed a couple containers of ice cream that Adrien just hoped that she'd had a way of keeping them from melting.

"Ice cream?" Technically, Adrien was still supposed to be following his model diet though with his father currently facing trials for his crimes as Hawkmoth and the business still being in limbo and the suspicions by the court that Adrien might have been an accomplice, he wasn't really allowed to model anyway or at least not right now.

"Yep. I even packed a few other goodies for later. Do you want to watch the old action movie tonight that you've been 'dying' to see? I brought that too, just in case." Alya admitted as she offered him a spoon.

Adrien was positive that he'd done nothing to earn friends like this, who still supported him, and trusted him more than anything, friends that dropped everything to look after him. He felt unbelievably lucky to have the close friends that he did.

"I'd love to." Adrien admitted, and threw 'normal' manners aside and ate out of the ice cream containers with a spoon, alongside Alya while sometimes sampling her flavor of ice cream too.

Already, his friends made terrible days way better by telling him in the quietest, most there way that they could, 'I'm here for you' or in other words, 'We're here for you, Adrien.' His heart swelled with love for them, and he just knew that he couldn't have asked for better friends anywhere in the world.


	18. Leap Of Faith

It would be the biggest gamble of her life and built up on complete trust to actually listen to her heart or fall more in love with the one person in the world that she was the closest to and couldn't bear to lose.

Cat Noir was a risk, and sometimes, she wasn't sure if she could take that risk, jump on that train, and follow through with wherever it led them. Dating a superhero, logically, would not be easy at all as they wouldn't be a normal couple in the least. They'd have to run with the risk of possibly losing each other with some of the tougher Akuma fights and the possibility that even if they swore that it wouldn't, an identity reveal could crumble them.

There were only so many ways that they could handle figuring out each other's identities, and all of them came with adjustment, a time where they might be unsure of how they felt about the other, and Ladybug didn't want that risk at all. She admired the relationships of some of her peers that left no room for any extra complications as she couldn't help but smile whenever Ivan and Mylene were near each other as it was absolutely adorable to see that young couple as in love with each other as they were.

No one doubted how simple it looked, and yet as Ladybug, she never had that option for something as simple as that and may be even outside of that, she couldn't find it any easier. Superhero identities had the tendency of just clogging up that simplicity and making everything way more difficult and challenging than it had to be.

Ladybug just never wanted every pun to make her smile lately or every smile of Cat Noir's to warm her belly with ladybugs or every casual touch to remind her that she was on the end of a new, budding feeling for her partner in fighting crime, a feeling that would persist when she was just Marinette, and a feeling that likely would never leave her alone.

Without an identity reveal, it meant finding time for each other whenever they can, but only seeing each other half the time, and yet half the time was beginning to sound incredible by itself and yet wasn't at all what most people wanted.

Ladybug wanted the little moments like cuddling after seeing a movie together or going to Andre's ice cream without causing a scene, or getting a chance to meet his family and learn exactly who helped make her kitty nearly as amazing as he was, who touched his lives in ways that she doubted that she could.

A parent's love is way different than other loves tended to be as a parent nurtured their child, disciplined them when they did wrong, and had known them for their whole life and another nine months added to it. A father's love was incredible as Marinette knew from just having any moment that she could to spend time with him, and yet so was her mother's love. She just loved them so much and felt so lucky to have them as a part of her life.

Just, Cat Noir felt different to her, unique in his own way; he felt like Adrien had but ten times stronger with a mix of fear and worry and concern, mostly during Akuma battles, and he felt like home, almost similar to her family. Being around her partner felt safe in its own way, and yet it would still be a risk, a giant leap of faith to take this jump into something so much more than 'just' partners and friends.

* * *

"Trust me." Cat Noir told her one night, breaking what seemed like dead silence from where they were perched above the city of Paris.

"I do trust you, Kitty, all the time." She wondered if there was anything that she'd held back from him since that time about Master Fu except her identity and of course, Rena's. Did she not trust him enough?

"I mean," Cat Noir took a deep breath as he appeared to gather his thoughts, "You can trust me with your heart, and I'll take care of it the best that I can."

"Kitty," Ladybug found herself unsure of what to say as there was so much that she could say, that could come tumbling right out of her mouth unbidden, and most of it just seemed like a jumbled mess even in her head. She wanted to tell him that she'd been thinking about this, that she wanted to, but yet was scared of the risk. None of the words seemed just right or her sentences nearly as honest and kind as she wanted them to be.

"Please just take this leap of faith with me?" Cat Noir's green eyes pleaded, "I'm okay with being friends, but the way that you look at me lately or the things that you say or even how you reach out and touch me is so different, and it reminds me all the time of how much I just wish that it wasn't fleeting or accidental or whatever." He looked tired in a way as if trying to find the words to explain all of this was agitating for him and yet so tiring too.

"I want to. I really do." Ladybug found herself admitting without really thinking to stop herself, "I'm just," Why were words so hard to come up with? "Scared." Finally a word that she didn't really care for came out and said just what she'd needed it to.

"I am too." Cat Noir admitted sadly, "But I don't ever want to miss this whether we're friends or something more. It's just, I'm getting so hopeful lately with the way things are changing, and I kind of thought..."

There was a level of vulnerability to this conversation that Ladybug had never guessed would be here from both sides, two hearts beared for the other's eyes.

"I just don't want to lose you." Ladybug murmured; if she did, she wasn't sure that she could put that gaping hole left in her heart back together again. He'd become so important to her as a friend, as a partner, and recently as someone that she wanted to be more than just friends or partners with, without leaving out those important parts, the sides that helped make her start to fall in love with him more and more each day. "I want to try to date you. I-I mean, I'll take this leap of faith with you."

"You will?" Something in his hopeful eyes made her want to just dive forward and hug him, may be cry into his embrace, and she just wanted him to be so happy too. With everyday, this leap of faith had seemed more and more tempting, and now, they had a chance to carve out their own forevers together.

It seemed like they might just get their happy ending soon or at least give themselves the chance to work hard towards it and become much happier together as they grew closer. With every passing day, Ladybug hoped that she and Cat Noir would become closer and find many more reasons to fall in love with each other and may be make the inevitable identity reveal a little easier on themselves.

She had faith that they'd get through whatever obstacles lay before them, and that they'll get through it together like every Akuma battle, every test of trust, and every precious moment together.


	19. A Special Gift

It really was a special gift, one that always seemed to keep on giving, as she paused to listen to it yet again. Ladybug may have been one side of her personality, and yet hearing a song about her still stopped her in her tracks especially since Jagged Stone had written it.

Everytime it played on the radio, she found herself singing along, line by line, and smiling as if the sun had finally broken through the clouds. It was the best gift that he could have ever given her, and hearing it live, became so much like something else, something kind of magical.

As Ladybug, magic seemed to fit, but yet she'd never expected getting yet another very special gift from Jagged Stone to her civilian identity other than that first concert and that wonderful day or the gift that he'd sent her just a little while ago to apologize after the Troublemaker fiasco.

As Marinette, she's nowhere near as famous as Ladybug.

* * *

"To the most talented designer that I've had the chance to meet and a new friend of mine." Jagged Stone announced, and Marinette leaned forward to hear his new debut song that he'd chosen until the concert that he'd gotten her free passes in for, the second concert that he's let her attend for free.

The audience was buzzing with such an eager anticipation and delight that Marinette half felt swept away under its current. Once the song began, Marinette soon realized it was about herself. It felt surreal as her friends and family nudged her, as she looked onward, just to see the bright smile on Jagged Stone's face, a gentle, affectionate one: a smile of pure friendship.

Her heart warmed like that first song 'gift' all over again except it was somehow even more special since it was for herself, no mask, no spots, no extra confidence, just Marinette who sometimes stumbled rather than moved gracefully, who liked a boy and could barely talk to him without stammering and stuttering through her words, and who got so caught up in her designs, that the minutes sped by.

The same Marinette who was often late to class, and yet she had such a sweet song written about her, thanking her, and almost sounding like another apology, in and of, itself, and she just knew that she'd ask for a copy of the song and play it over and over again until she could sing it just like she could sing along to the song that he'd written about Ladybug and most of his songs actually.

She could help how her smile though surprised grew content and so, so happy. If a spotlight were on her, they'd see one of the most stunned and amazed teenage girls in the room.


	20. Weekend Together

It was not everyday when Adrien was allowed a day to hang out with friends at the movies, to get to laugh over shared jokes with Nino, and chat with the girls and try to get to know them better as new friends of his. Every moment like this felt like something new altogether, and Adrien was loving this hint or taste of freedom, this immense joy that clung to him, and the laughter that surrounded them.

As the movie wound down and the lunch afterward did too, Adrien wondered if he'd ever get another chance like this again as they laughed and carried on with joy in their hearts even as they bid goodbye, and Adrien would have to call Gorilla to be picked up.

"Thanks for hanging out with us, Dude." Nino told him, bumping his arm lightly with his fist, "I'm really glad that your father let you."

"Me too." Adrien murmured with a smile as he glanced over at his very best friend ever or at least so far, "Hey, Nathalie, can you send Gorilla to pick me up? We're not far from-."

Nino smiled absentmindedly as Adrien spoke on the phone, not paying the conversation too much mind.

* * *

"Hey, Nino?" Adrien asked decently quiet over the phone, abuzz with energy despite his early morning photoshoot, "Want to come over and play video games today?"

"Your old man is letting us hang out again today?" Nino asked, and Adrien was positive that he wasn't hiding his joy and excitement very well.

"Yeah, lately, it seems like he's better about that." Adrien admitted, "As long as I avoid Akumas and head home quickly after Akuma battles. He wasn't very happy after Gorizilla."  
"I don't think anyone would be after what you told me, dude." Nino spoke up, "I'll be right over. Just let me ask my parents first."

* * *

Adrien felt like he was dreaming or walking on air or something of the sort as he buzzed with excited energy from getting to hang out with his best bed all weekend together so far. It's like his father had flipped a switch labeled, 'Extra Nice,' and thought that he'd give it a try.

He couldn't help his barely disguised excitement as he beat Nino at Ultimate Mecha Strike Three until they switched to a game that Nino was a bit better at to let the competition get fiercer though not more serious and to give Nino more than a chance to win.

Now, Adrien just hoped that he'd be allowed some day soon to invite Nino over for an anime marathon, given that Nino would agree to watching some of Adrien's favorite shows with him. He already had more hope than ever that his dad might say, 'yes' now.


	21. Wish

If Rose had one wish in the world, she'd probably ask for this moment to last forever as Adrien's hand gently rested against hers and as he leaned down and kissed her like she was the most crucial part of his life or a precious gem.

As her eyes fluttered closed, she wished silently for their love to always grow or at least spread out into the wonderful life they created together. When Adrien pulled away, he didn't pull far at all as he rested his other hand on her stomach and stared at her in awe as if she'd been the only one to make this possible even though she hadn't been.

"Rose, I love you." Adrien muttered, eyes turning down to look at her belly which was still pretty flat yet, and then his gaze ran up to glance back and stare into her blue eyes, "And I love our baby too."

Rose smiled past the tears that began to fill up her eyes, happy tears, out of the love that she felt so strongly for this man that she'd married and for their child growing inside her womb. She didn't know what all to expect going forward, but she was so giddy and excited and so very in love anyway.

She reached out a hand to ran through her husband's hair, glad that no hair gel remained in it today, as it felt whisper soft to her hand. Rose just wanted to be here with her husband and let this moment last on and on.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, deciding that it felt much better to just be closer to him, and not bother with running her fingers through his hair anymore.

"I love you too." Rose murmured against his ear as she snuggled close, "And I'm sure that Baby does too." It was enough to just be close to him, to feel his love and his contentment and be so, so happy by his side.

"When do we get to find out if Baby's a boy or a girl?" Adrien asked softly, wrapping his arms gently around his wife, and Rose couldn't believe how loved she felt in this moment or how gentle and careful Adrien's touch seemed.

"We have some time yet." Rose murmured, "I told you as soon as I could. I just found out earlier, and I didn't want to keep it from you."

As Adrien held her close, Rose practically melted into his embrace. All was well always as long as Adrien was by her side, and they both couldn't wait for their little family of two, just them, to become a beautiful family of three.


	22. In Sickness And In Health

Vows weren't just words. They were never just words.

Sabine smiled as she grabbed the wet washcloth and laid it in on her husband's forehead and knelt by his side. It wasn't much or at least didn't seem like much to just stay here with him and help him feel better.

They hadn't gotten married all that long ago, and the bakery was so new that they only had a couple of regulars and word hadn't traveled all that fast. As a side effect, they'd had to have at least one other job to pay the bills and keep the business alive.

Sabine didn't mind the work as she'd been raised to be a hard worker and take care of herself though sometimes they were left beyond exhausted from the work. She couldn't believe that anyone could stop loving someone else due to them being sick as she watched him slowly wake back up.

"Sabine, don't worry about me too much." Tom smiled up at her, and she didn't have the heart to leave him alone and go to her other job. It wasn't worth it, and as soon as she'd realized he was sick, she'd called off anyway and shut down the bakery for the day.

"I'm not going to just leave you." She told him, almost chiding him, though it was a bit on the soft side to really be a reprimand.

"But you have work." Tom told her, stubbornly.

"I know. I already called off this morning." She told him softly, "Just rest up, alright?"

"Did you close the bakery down too?" Tom asked her and though he was sick, she could tell just how much he wished she hadn't.

"I did." Sabine murmured, "It's not the same without you helping."

"I'll be better in a day. You didn't have to do that." He told her, and she saw his stubborn frown and shook her head.

"You rest, and don't worry about it. It will all be okay." She answered, "I promised that I'd love you in sickness and in health, didn't I?"

"You did." He answered back.

"So I'm going to do just that." Sabine smiled, "Besides eventually one of us was going to get sick as we've been pretty healthy since we got married until today."

"But I don't want you getting sick." He spoke up, still stubbornly trying to convince her to not look after him.

"I won't. I'm pretty strong." She leaned against the bed, "Besides, even if I do, I wouldn't want to just leave you. I love you too much to do that."

"Sabine." Tom murmured softly, and she could see just how touched he was, past the tears filling up his warm green eyes.

"I love you." She murmured back as she pressed close enough to give him a kiss on the cheek, not minding that he was sick at all. Nothing could hold her back from the ones that she loved.

"I love you too." Was his answer, spoken so softly, that it might as well have been a short poem.

Sabine snuggled close from where she knelt by the bed and just relaxed; they'd get through this sickness together just as they vowed a few months ago.


	23. Nicknames

It started with her, "My baby boy." And she used to bounce him on her knee when he was just a toddler. He'd always figured that this was just how it would always be.

"My little sunshine." She'd coo as she played outside with him even if they got messier from the dirt and grass than his father would like them to, but Emilie Agreste was a force to be reckoned with at times, so Adrien had little moments like these to remember.

"Mommy, do other kids have moms like you?" Adrien asked one day, practically falling asleep in her arms, and yet still curious. Chloe's mom seemed so different, and Adrien just wanted to know if she was just as sweet and affectionate as his mother was whenever Adrien wasn't playing with Chloe.

"Sometimes." Emilie smiled, "Don't worry too much about it, Pumpkin. Your love could light up the world if you let it." She'd pulled him closer, and Adrien had stared up at her wide eyed.

He liked being her pumpkin or her little sunshine or her baby boy even though he often felt like he was much too old to be called baby boy anymore, but he still loved hearing that sweet nickname of hers for him.

"Okay, goodnight, Mommy." Adrien had curled up on her lap and fell fast asleep. Even though it wasn't night for a little while yet, he felt like he should say it like that as he was falling asleep.

"Goodnight, my little kitty." His mother cooed, and Adrien figured that cats had to be so, so sweet for his mother to call him one. Adrien had never had any pets, but his mother always had the sweetest nicknames for him or so he'd tell anyone who would listen to him that she did.


	24. Sunshine

Sunshine could easily bathe the world in its warm embrace, and Alya doubts sometimes that Adrien can't cause the same kind of reaction. It's just who he is.

"Hey, Sunshine?" Alya murmured as she snuggled closer to her boyfriend and as they enjoyed this warm Summer day together as if counting down into the Summer will fade into cool Fall.

"Yeah?" Adrien muttered, and he liked so tired that Alya just hoped that he slept well when he was home.

"I love you." Alya whispered, planting a couple gentle kisses on Adrien's cheeks and relaxing further as she pulled him close, still somehow not realizing that her boyfriend was going to give her an eskimo kiss instead of returning her affection the way that she'd shared it with him.

"I love you too." Adrien murmured as he pulled just enough away that their noses weren't touching anymore.

That just wouldn't do, so Alya leaned forward and stole a gentle, loving kiss from his lips. It felt like all that she'd needed on this warm day, to spend a while falling more in love with 'Sunshine.' Alya couldn't be happier as the sun shone down on them and as she cuddled and kissed her boyfriend that she'd nicknamed after that very sun.


	25. Early Hours

Early mornings were for cuddling when you felt too tired to actually move, were for falling back asleep right by your husband's side and remembering that sometimes reality really was better than a dream.

Rose yawned as she cuddled closer, still way too sleepy to consider fully waking up, and chasing Adrien's warmth down in their bed. Adrien made her feel safe, made feel loved, and right now, toasty warm like she was cuddling their kitty, Jack, who was probably already wandering the house for some food, actually.

Jack was just picky enough that he'd probably jump on to the bed, brown furred, striped body, pawing at them and waking them up. For now, Jack wasn't unsatified enough to wake either of them up by now. Rose couldn't help but yawn again as she scooted closer, almost rolling the two of them off the bed and on to the floor.

"Goodmorning." Was whispered in her ear, and she smiled in contentment.

"'Morning, Adrien." She murmured back, so drowsily as she was comfortable and didn't want to wake up yet, hoping that he still heard her words.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Lilly squealed, and suddenly Rose was up as she blinked open tired blue eyes just in time to see their daughter climb onto the bed, Jack not far behind. Three years old and already, she brought so much life into the home.

"Yes, sweetie?" Adrien yawned as he sat up, smiling widely up at her.

"Is it on yet? That show that we were going to watch?" Lilly bounced on hyper feet as Jack finally made it up on the bed and pawed at Rose's arm, not finding the food that he'd been so eager to have from his earlier search.

"It's an hour away." Adrien murmured, and Rose smiled at the sight of her sleepy husband trying to wake himself up as he scooped Lilly up in his arms and carried her towards the kitchen, "It gives us time for breakfast, Kitten."

Lilly laughed and squealed, "But Jack's more of a kitten than I am."

Rose found herself giggling as she scooped up Jack and followed her husband and daughter, "Jack's full grown, Lilly. You're still our precious baby."  
"I'm not a baby." Lilly pouted as Adrien set her down in the kitchen.

"Okay, Princess." Adrien was biting back a grin to keep the amused smile at bay, "Do you want to help Daddy and Mommy cook breakfast?"  
"Ooh, yes, yes!" Lilly squealed, bouncing up and down, and though it was still early yet, probably far 'too' early, Rose was just glad to be up and starting off their early mornings together, just like this.


	26. Bed Sharing

There was a time when Alya was fascinated by baby noses, cute giggles that never liked to stop unless they were crying or just listening in stunned wonder, caught up in the joy of small baby hands. She used to watch them with her mother there and often her dad too whenever he could call off work too.

'Ella' and 'Etta' were just names to Alya as they hadn't become second nature to spell yet nor did they immediately just fit upon which girl was which, and yet Alya didn't mind as she practiced calling them the right names. For a little while, their parents dressed them differently, a different color for each girl, and a bracelet for each, so that their names never swapped as they grew up and came to learn who was who.

Alya had played guessing games, just older than them enough to have her own say, be able to read to them though their little eyes often flickered closed in a nap when Alya started to read. Usually Ella's eyes were the first to close as she snoozed to her big sister's voice and fully relaxed at Alya's gentle presence.

She'd found the twins so cool! Hardly anyone that she'd heard of ever had twin sisters, and Alya had younger twin sisters to help look after, to learn to change their diapers when her parents were off Maternity leave and the short leave her father had went on. Alya, being homeschooled, usually ended up finding her way through some classes online and spending time with her sisters, trying to teach them their first words, coming up with many that could be their first words one day.

Best of all, babies were naturally snuggly and warm though delicate, so Alya loved taking naps with them, crawling into bed, placing the pillows up just right so that they didn't fall off the bed and so that she didn't crush them and gently petting their heads until they fell asleep. Baby hair was so soft, and they tended to calm right down with such a gentle touch.

Alya found herself falling asleep watching them, listening to every soft breath that they took, and coming to find them as such cute little sisters. Those were the days when Alya loved being a big sister, loved just being around them, and those were the days that made sure that even when they'd fight one day, they still loved each other deep down.

Alya had learned to be a light sleeper for whenever the phone rang to talk to her parents, tell them about how well Etta and Ella were doing, or to wake up often to make sure that they're breathing fine. Some could say that somehow Alya had developed fox like ears, always listening, and looking out for the children though babies would grow into toddlers which changed bed sharing and cuddling into a different way of sleeping as the twins weren't separated by pillows anymore, but wanted to hold Alya's hands, wanted to just reach out and touch her, wanted to just be close.

One day, as they got a little bit older, and they'd grow more curious and talkative and want to just see what happened when one thing went wrong, the bed sharing would slowly stop, but for now, Alya couldn't be happier to cuddle with her little sisters and just let another day of homework and looking out for them end in some sleepy cuddles before Mom and Dad called to check up on the three of them, a habit of their parents' that never changed.


	27. Please?

"Please?" Adrien was sure that he'd missed something along the way about how to just say 'no' to those eyes and not accidentally spoil his precious baby girl. Emma just had the sweetest kitty eyes, green and so, so big with her pleading tears and the sweetest, begging expression ever.

"What would Mommy say?" Adrien choked out as he looked at the sour candy on the store shelf and considered whether he'd get in trouble for saying 'yes' again. 'You can't spoil the kids if you want them to understand what sharing and giving are.'

It was so hard since he knew that he had the money to show her in fancy and expensive gifts not to; it wasn't that the gifts were bad, but he could see her point. 'The best part of love and being a family is never the gifts you receive, but the time you spend together. Maman and Papa always made sure that I knew that.'

Marinette hadn't grown up wealthy, had learned to accept when they simply didn't have the money for some fancy toy or gift or candy bar. She'd grown up understanding the reasons, and they'd had her helping out in the kitchen since she was just a little girl.

Adrien admired her family for so much, was constantly stunned by just how close and loving they were, and he kind of wanted to be like them in a way.

"Mommy would say, 'no.'" Emma pouted, and her frown still positively broke his heart, "She says that we can't get new candy when we still have candy from the other day at home."

"Exactly." Adrien told her, silently thanking his wife for teaching their daughter so much, "So you can't get new candy today."

"What if I finish off the other day's candy today?" Emma pleaded already looking for loop holes.

"That hasn't happened yet." Adrien reminded her gently, "And besides, you wouldn't want a belly ache." Or at least Adrien wouldn't. Marinette had told him once that he had a weak stomach since he tended to get belly aches from having too many sweets though he usually ended up overeating them, out of a love for them that he'd never gotten to indulge in when he was younger. Adrien had a major sweet tooth though he could definitely live without those belly aches. They could stop him completely though Marinette would only shake her head before she cuddled with him to try to make him feel better.

Every cuddle was like a prized gift from his beautiful and absolutely amazing wife. Adrien felt so lucky to have her, and to now have three little kids and a fourth.

"I don't get belly aches like you, Daddy." Emma pouted, and Adrien still wondered why she had the ability to be so cute. He knew that she only tended to test his ability to tell her 'not today' when it was just the two of them in the store as Marinette claimed that she'd had practice saying 'no' to kitten eyes though it had taken a while apparently.

"Emma, not right now. How about we go home and see if Mom needs help in the kitchen?" It was a step in the right direction, Adrien figured to divert, and it his wife was making sweets, Adrien wouldn't feel quite so bad at telling Emma 'no.'

* * *

Just how one 'Can we please help, Mommy,' turned into laughing as they tried to wipe whipped cream and cookie dough off of their faces from a play war, Adrien would never know. He just couldn't claim that he hadn't helped turn it into a play battle.

"Daddy," Emma asked with a cute little pout, "I can't get it out of my hair. Can you please help?"

Adrien found it cute how Emma's manners just seemed to make things seem cuter than almost everything, and this was a please that he could definitely help out with.

"Sure." Adrien smiled as he took a napkin and carefully wiped what he could of the whipped cream and cookie dough out of his daugher's hair.

"Thank you." And that one bright smile made every sacrifice worth it especially when she thanked him too. She was the most precious daughter that he could ever ask for.

"You're welcome." Adrien's own smile could never be shaken off either as he couldn't help how happy he was spending time with his children and his wife.

"We're all going to have to take baths." Marinette told him. "I'll watch the cookies while you, guys, clean up." She smiled, and all was okay as Adrien gathered up the kids to set up a bath for them and grab their favorite towels.

All was right in the world or at least felt like it. Adrien wouldn't trade his family for the world no matter how many pleas were made in the world's favor. The world couldn't offer play fights while baking nor could it offer a joy that just made every bit of hard work and sacrifice way worth it.


	28. Post-Akuma Comfort

Jitters felt so, so fresh when you were close to the action even when the day was still saved. Rose shook and trembled as she tried to stop freaking out over just everything that had happened. Ladybug had looked like she'd missed, like the Akuma, one that was quite a bit more than just a little more violent than the other ones, looked as if he was going to crush her or at the very least kill her.

Rose's stomach was at her feet, she was convinced, "Rose?" Cat Noir found her. That brand of relief made her knees shake and nearly knocked her over, the stress hadn't worn out yet.

"Y-Yes?" Rose hadn't almost died, even if Ladybug had, Rose would have been safe, she knew, but yet just the thought of losing their superheroine killed Rose, left her so hurt and so scared.

"Are you okay?" Cat Noir's words were soft and not at all judgemental, so Rose let herself melt into his arms.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Rose shook her head to clear it even though that hadn't worked.

"No," Cat Noir paused, looking up at her with sincere hurt and empathy in his eyes, "Are you okay?"

"I-I don't know." She darted into his arms, trusting magical leather, and clawed hands to keep her safe from the fears that clogged her throat and ached so very much.

"We're all a little scared." Cat Noir soothed as he sat down, and when Rose realized that she'd somehow ended up on his lap, it was like she was a child again sitting on her father's lap and needing the kind of assurance and comfort that only a father seemed able to provide.

"O-Okay." Rose murmured, leaning against the superhero, taking what strength she could from it as if she were just a sponge.

"If you don't want to talk about it, just stay close and take deep breaths." Cat Noir closed his eyes and remembered a time when he'd been so scared that he'd lose his parents in the crowd or that somehow he would be eaten up by the huge wave of people. His mother had held him close, told him that she had no experience whatsoever with this, wiped the tears from his eyes, and became his best comfort.

Without her, Cat Noir was positive that he wouldn't even be half the superhero that he was today. His mother had been the kind of comfort and assurance that he'd desperately needed.

"Okay." Rose murmured, "Just what happens if she gets hurt like that?" Rose couldn't quite picture Paris without that Ladybug, whoever she was behind that mask, Rose could never imagine anyone taking her place.

"I don't know. We'd probably get someone else to be Ladybug while she recovers. I'd take that place if I needed to, but I know that I never could be Ladybug like she can be." The awe in his voice melted Rose's heart and reminded her of how absolutely smitten and in love Cat Noir was.

"No one can be Cat Noir the way that you can be either." Her nausea was finally going down as she pushed herself to avoid the negative thoughts that clawed at her every waking breath since the attack and focus on the positives, like trying to be there for the superhero that was comforting her.

"Thank you." The look in his eyes wasn't the pride that Rose almost would have expected, but a kind of humility, a kind of self awareness that didn't become something else. Rose wasn't sure exactly how he could handle it just like that, but she only wished that she could be half as strong or half as sincere with her love as he was.

"You're welcome." She leaned back against his side, letting her thoughts drift far away from Akuma battles and almost had beens. For now, the reality was a far better and a far sweeter place to remain in than every single what if.


	29. Unexpected Reveal

It wasn't every day when you found out that your boyfriend was Carapace, the Grand Guardian to be that Master Fu was training. It felt like Alya was suddenly seeing the second side to a picture after so long of focusing on just one part of it.

"Rena? Alya?" Nino's voice fell softer when he spoke her civilian name, and suddenly the dark and apparently not dark enough alley to keep the truth from them seemed far too cold. It felt weird to hear someone other than Ladybug address her as her civilian name, knowing full well who she was.

"Nino?" Her voice almost shook with how full of wonder and questions, full of a sort of awe that she hadn't anticipated upon finding out her partner's identity. It seemed too sudden, too unexpected, and yet she felt more than a little just blown away by how it all made sense and brought her closer to him far faster than she ever would have guessed that an identity reveal had the ability to.

"Yeah." He shifted, "I give my Miraculous and Wayzz, my Kwami, back to Master Fu every time." He looked on helplessly, "They're both pretty cool dudes."

Alya laughed as it brought everything full circle, just imagining a Kwami called dude and the Grand Guardian who had been around for more than two hundred years, dude. It was so completely Nino that she was swept away by how all of the dots and all of the pieces came together.

She loved this guy so much even though she shouldn't be laughing, half hysterically over what he called people much older than him, who likely had gained more knowledge in their lifetimes than the people usually called dude.

"Alya?" He tried again, "Why are you laughing?"

It still felt so surreal even though Alya was already positive that this wasn't a dream, that it was in fact real life.

"S-Sorry." Alya shrugged helplessly, "I never would have thought to call either of them, dude." She tried changing the topic slightly while letting the answer seem right there. She wasn't sure that she wanted to try to explain that outright and make it accidentally sound weirder than she'd mean for it to.

"Okay...?" Nino gave her a weird look, "Should we tell the others that we accidentally found out each other's identities?"

"I guess we probably should." Alya smiled, "I would have liked to leave them guessing as to whether we know or not, but if I kept it from Ladybug, I'd be in heaps of trouble."

"I'll talk to Master Fu and figure out what to tell them later." Nino admitted, voice finally softening again, "Does this change anything?"

"It only makes me love you more." Sometimes Alya was grateful when the words just slipped right out, without hesitation and without overthinking, just completely natural. She came forward to lightly give her boyfriend a kiss on the lips, nothing long or overwhelming, just a little reminder that this didn't get in the way of them dating.

"It makes me love you more." Nino looked embarrassed and so much like an open book as the words left his mouth, but Alya wouldn't have him any other way.

With her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and her head resting on his shoulder for a second as she hugged him, she felt like an unexpected reveal was just what they needed and not just a surprising and wonderful turn of events.


	30. That Looks Like It Hurts

"That looks like it hurts." Marinette paused as she looked over the new injury on his arm, poorly bandaged as he'd had to bandage it with his non-dominant hand and by himself while he was detransformed. He'd only unzipped his suit enough for her to see it when she'd started fretting over it when she'd touched his arm the way that she usually did, and he flinched away.

"It does when you touch it." Cat Noir pouted, "I'm really fine though. I'll be good as new before you know it."

"That means that Miraculous Cure did not work on patching you up." She felt the undeniable urge to kiss where he hurt on his arm like the way her parents had done for her for so long, only stopping a bit more recently, three or less years ago.

"I'll be fine. Ladybug doesn't know. Please don't tell her." Cat Noir pleaded with the cutest kitty eyes that Marinette had seen in her life.

Even though technically, this was a promise that couldn't quite be kept in the way you expect, she couldn't help just how that one word slipped out of her mouth, "Yes." "I won't." Came after a pause or two.

"Thank you." Cat Noir smiled at her, "I don't want to leave her worrying about me or anything like that." He liked fighting alongside his partner, putting his hardest amount of effort and his most concentration towards the fight, and making his partner worry wasn't really a good part of all that. She was incredible with all of the hard work that she put in for saving the day, all of the effort that made her able to somehow overcome insecurities and fears and save the day. He was smitten, and he doubted that anything could likely pull him away from those feelings though the girl that he was hanging out with might be the closest one to succeed at that, ever.

Marinette tried to bite back the urge, but seeing the pain mixed with worry on Cat Noir's face melted her heart into a giant puddle of emotion, of tenderness that she sometimes tried to fight back around him, from the love that she felt for him, more than likely just platonic, but no less strong. It felt like a habit long ingrained in her, but if it could bring a smile to his face or something positive than she'd be absolutely happy.

Marinette leaned forward carefully as she took Cat Noir's arm in her hand and kissed just right below his shoulder, trying to will her support and comfort to encase his heart and make him feel even just a little bit better.

It brought a small smile to his face, and with that, Marinette could rest a bit easier. As long as her usually pretty happy partner was well taken care of and happy than she was good to go. Cat Noir reached close to her and held her just a bit nearer, and so she stayed there, pretending that he wasn't injured if only for the gentle comfort it provided and to focus completely on the sweet warmth at Cat Noir's side that helped keep her grounded.

Even an unexpected injury from an Akuma fight couldn't separate the two friends from each other, only brought thm just a little bit closer.


	31. Trust

Sometimes trust was easy to give like in a trust fall excercise, already knowing each other for all this time, already trusting each other had made things much easier. Juleka's hands were steady when she caught Rose, and it was a kind of steadiness that she still longed for when she caught Juleka in her arms.

Juleka was her best friend, is her best friend, and is much steadier than Rose has ever felt like, and so she dreams of being just as strong and stubborn as her friend is, never a quitter unless really pushed there. She had her own set of problems, and yet despite those problems, Rose trusted Juleka to always be there.

Her friend had her back, was steady like a flame that never flickered, and Rose admired that kind of hard work, effort, and concentration when she stepped forward to do something important. Juleka seemed fearless despite Rose's more naturally fearful of anything that seemed like a threat to her own safety from scary masks and ideas that were hard to deal with to whatever else that troubled her belly.

Juleka had never left her side through thick and through thin, and Rose was beyond glad to call this young woman her best friend, her suppor system that never quit, the one person in their grade that she trusted nearly endlessly and that very person person that she could tell anything without fear that Juleka would ever see her as a completely horrible person.

Love traveled and festered where trust bloomed, and so though their friendship was purely platonic, they loved each more than anything and had each other's backs through every obstacle and burden of life. Juleka is Rose's best friend, and Rose is Juleka's best friend. There's no doubt about it as trust flourishes between the two of them.


	32. Soulmates

Soulmates had never been a term that is cut and dry, never been something that hides everything under one big circle of this is the way that it actually is. She'd never consider the more compact sort of soulmate when she had a best friend who kept her grounded, kept her going on strong, and encouraged her through every difficult storm and challenge of insecurity.

Alya's a one woman support team that could easily fill up a hall with the level of support that she gave as not everyone gave that same amount.

"So today's the day, huh?" Alya smiled up at her, and Marinette tried to relax, her friend had supported her through everything so far, helping her to rethink not so smart decisions and encouraging her to look beyond the box of 'supposed' things that you could do.

"I hope so." Marinette sighed. It was getting harder by the day to think that she could say the words or that he'd even like her back even though there was hope to be had with every wink sent her way, every warm smile, and every casual touch, but she never wanted to overthink everything about it and not see him for just everything beyond all of that.

"Even if you doesn't like you back, you have your 'soulmate' here." Alya shrugged with a smile, "Though I'm sure that he absolutely adores you."

Marinette laughed, but her heart warmed at just the sweet and genuine tone to her best friend's voice. She was being honest, and just sometimes Marinette felt like having a loyal friend by her side meant more than any words that Adrien could tell her or not tell her. Alya had always been strong where Marinette couldn't be and thoughtful where Marinette could barely come up with a plan.

Marinette had her moments though when she had to be that way for Alya, and perhaps that's what made friendship so incredible. It was never one side completely giving or one side completely taking, but two sides trying to remain loyal and there for each other.

Truly, she did have at least one soulmate in her life even though it was a platonic one and not a romantic one, Marinette would still be so happy to just have that one in her life.


End file.
